Question — What simple thing can many motorcyclists
do to reduce their collision chances by 24%?

Answer — Always wear a white helmet when riding!

“ Compared with wearing a black helmet, [motorcyclists'] use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk” of crashing.

Also: Motorcycle “drivers wearing reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk of crash related injury than other [motorcycle] drivers.”

According to a major U.S. distributor of motorcycle accessories, here, in order, are its best selling colors. In full face helmets, the colors in order of their popularity are (1) black, (2) silver, (3) anthracite, (4) blue, (5) red, and then (6) white.

Skeptical? I am a skeptic too. But do a test with your own eyes. Watch motorcyclists you see riding. When you see a rider wearing a white helmet and one wearing a black helmet, which one can you see better and further away? How much difference does a white helmet make in seeing motorcycle riders? Look at colorful helmets, too. Are they as visible? Decide for yourself. It is up to you to decide how visible to other road users you want to be when you are riding your motorcycle.

HJC makes solid white helmets in sizes up to 5XL, both modular and full-face.

There are an awful lot of black helmets on motorcyclists out there. I had one. Thanks to a can of white spray paint from a hardware store, it is now white.

Here we have an invisible rider. She is doing everything she can to avoid being seen by motorists: black half () helmet, black jacket, black pants.

Even in the rain she has chosen not to wear a brightly colored rain suit!


Data source: British Medical Journal — Released: Tuesday, April 6, 2004. For the full article, click here